Preservatives and antimicrobial agents have been used over the years to control or inhibit the growth of various microorganisms in various products and particularly food compositions. The increased use of antibiotics and antimicrobial agents and compositions has resulted in numerous pathogenic microorganisms developing new strains that are resistant to many of the commonly used antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial agents.
Many of the commonly used food and cosmetic preservatives and antimicrobial agents are synthetic compounds. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in avoiding or eliminating the use of synthetic compounds and in developing and promoting the use of natural materials. Plant materials are generally considered less toxic by the consumer and a more suitable natural alternative to synthetic compounds.
Various herbal and plant preparations are known for certain uses. For example, one known composition is a mixture of Echinaceae angustifolia radix and Plantago. This composition has been produced as an oral hygiene composition. Various reports have been produced showing antibacterial activity in the oral cavity and promoting general health of oral tissue.
Although various plant compositions have been produced, many of these have not been shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. In addition, many of the commercially available compositions have not shown long antimicrobial activity. Fungal infections are common in humans, as well as other animals. The uncontrolled growth of many fungi can cause various diseases and discomfort to the animal. Topical antifungal preparations are synthetic products commonly used, although many topically applied compositions may not be effective for certain strains.
One example of a composition containing botanical materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,305 to Friedman et al. The disclosed composition is stated to have antifungal properties, prolonged antifungal activity and good antibacterial activity. The antifungal composition contains an essential oil and an herbal extract for use against fungi such as Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. 
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,716 to Levin et al. discloses a composition containing an herbal extract and an essential oil. The components forming the resulting composition are disclosed as having a synergistic effect and antibacterial activity. The composition includes cinnamon oil as the essential oil. The herbal extract is a mixture of Plantago, Hypericum, Echinacea and Propolis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,050 to Iyer et al. discloses an antimicrobial composition containing two different antimicrobial agents for use in oral hygiene products. The compositions are disclosed as being effective to inhibit the growth of bacteria, such as Actinomyces viscosus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sanguis. The antimicrobial agents are plant oils and extracts and are combined to form a synergistic composition.
These compositions and preparations that have been previously available have exhibited some success. There is, however, a continuing need in the industry for an improved antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial composition.